Ezekiel has some harsh words for Pharaoh and Egypt. He says they will go down to hell with Assyria, Elam, Meshech, Tubal, and Edom. Egypt will be destroyed like the other nations for ignoring the Lord and His word and for walking in wickedness. The Lord says the only comfort Pharaoh will receive is knowing that he wasn’t the only one cast into hell because of his evil ways.
The Lord once again calls Ezekiel the watchman over the spiritual condition of the people of Israel – “So you, son of man: I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; therefore you shall hear a word from My mouth and warn them for Me. When I say to the wicked, ‘O wicked man, you shall surely die!’ and you do not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand. Nevertheless if you warn the wicked to turn from his way, and he does not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul.”
The Lord says that although the nation is under judgment, individuals can still be saved if they repent and turn to the Lord – “I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live.” Each person will be individually judged by Him and His fair ways.
We end the reading with a list of genealogies from Jacob to exile for three of the tribes of Israel; Simeon, Reuben, and Gad:
1) Simeon- Simeon and Levi are the brothers who killed all the men of the city of Shechem after Shechem raped their sister Dinah (Genesis 34). So when Jacob gave Simeon and Levi their blessing he said, “Cursed be their anger, for it is fierce; and their wrath, for it is cruel! I will divide them in Jacob and scatter them in Israel” (Genesis 49:7). At the beginning of the wilderness journey in the Exodus Era, the tribe of Simeon was one of the largest but decreased significantly by the end according to the book of numbers. This tribe was part of Northern Israel which was overtaken by the Assyrians and scattered as well as the rest of Northern Israel.
2) Reuben – Jacob’s first born son, Reuben, slept with his concubine (Genesis 35:22). So when Jacob blessed him he said, “Unstable as water, you shall not excel, because you went up to your father’s bed; then you defiled it” (Genesis 49:4). Today we read, “Now the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel…because he defiled his father’s bed, his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph…yet Judah prevailed over his brothers, and from him came a rule.” Joseph’s sons, the tribes Ephraim and Manasseh, were greater than the tribe of Reuben and formed the majority of Northern Israel. However the brother, Judah (Southern Judah Kingdom), prevails because King David and all the kings of Southern Judah come from Judah’s lineage; and ultimately King Jesus will descend through the bloodline of Judah.
3) Gad – When Jacob blessed Gad he said, “a troop shall tramp upon him, but he shall triumph at last” (Genesis 49:19). Not much was said on Gad today except that they acquired the land of Bashan as far as Salcah. Gad was also part of Northern Israel which was overthrown by the Assyrians.
More on the sons of Jacob tomorrow, so keep reading.
(Ezekiel 33:17-33,20, Jeremiah 52:28-30, Psalm 137, 1 Chronicles 4:24-5:17)
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Chronological Bible in Layman's Terms 